The Case: Tim Cunningham, a Harvard-educated epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, has disappeared without a trace and hasn’t been seen in two weeks. Cunningham reportedly made an odd request of one neighbor on the day before he went missing, he told neighbor Viviana Tory’s husband to tell her “to erase his cell phone number from my cell phone.” Cunningham left work sick on Feb. 12, which is when he was last seen and when he texted his mom at 5:21 a.m. “Are you awake.” She had her phone on silent mode and missed the text.
A few hours later at work, his supervisor reportedly talked to him about why he didn’t get the promotion. He later told colleagues he wasn’t feeling well and left work around 9 a.m. and called his mother in Maryland at 9:12 a.m., but she was at the gym and missed the call; he didn’t leave a message. Cunningham’s parents then drove from Maryland to Atlanta worried after not hearing from their son for two days where they found his wallet, his car, and pet dog still at his home.

Cunningham was successful in his chosen profession, was in constant contact with his family and well-liked among friend and co-workers. So what happened to him?

Thoughts + Theories:

• Cunningham told family and friends he thought he was being promoted within the CDC’s chronic disease unit. But on Feb. 5, he learned he didn’t get the new job. There is a theory that he may have been so upset he committed suicide.
• Cunningham worked with chronic, not infectious, diseases, and didn’t have access to classified information. He also reportedly assisted the CDC’s response to Ebola and Zika outbreaks So he couldn’t have been infected with any disease.

This case is so suspicious, a highly-educated government worker just disappearing leaving every belonging at home; What could’ve happened? Where did he go? What happened?

Cassidy Carroll, Staff Writer

Junior Cassidy Carroll is a staff writer for the 2017-2018 Colonel. She plays varsity cross country, lacrosse, and track for LHS while also being a member of NAHS. Outside of Ledyard, she’s often taking part in daring adventures…but she didn’t share any.